Two climbers have died after falling near the summit of Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak, foreign media reported.
The victims were part of a four-member climbing team attempting to scale the 3,724-metre mountain. Rescue teams were able to safely extract the remaining two climbers after receiving an emergency call, and a helicopter was deployed for the rescue operation.
Authorities confirmed that the bodies of the two deceased climbers have been located, and efforts are underway to retrieve them safely.
Aoraki/Mount Cook, situated at the top of the Southern Alps on New Zealand’s South Island, is considered challenging even for experienced climbers due to avalanches and unpredictable weather conditions.
The identities of the victims have not yet been officially released. However, New Zealand news outlet Stuff reported that one of the deceased was a well-known, internationally recognised mountain guide.
This incident comes about a year after three climbers from the United States and Canada went missing on the same mountain. Their bodies were never found, but authorities later declared them dead after days of unsuccessful searching, with bad weather hindering recovery efforts.
